[Pearls Ep 149: Preparing for Sunday.]
Here’s one of many wonderful scenes in It’s a Wonderful Life – George Bailey is on the verge of ending his (wonderful) life, when Clarence, his guardian angel, jumps in the water first (it wasn’t completely clear how causing George Bailey to jump into the freezing river was the way to save George from killing himself by jumping into the freezing river – but that never got in the way of enjoying the magic of the movie).
As the two are thawing out, Clarence announces “I’m your guardian angel.” To which George responds, “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised … you look about like the kinda angel I’d get.”
And when Clarence explains he’s there to save George, we get this entertaining exchange:
George, “There’s only one way you can help me, you don’t happen to have $8,000 bucks on you?”
Clarence, “Oh, no, no, we don’t use money in heaven.”
George, “I guess that’s right. I keep forgetting. But it comes in pretty handy down here, Bub.”
Truth be told, there’s a certain part of us that echoes George, and has a similar response to God. You see, we have a pretty good idea of what we need to be saved from and how God should go about it. And that dynamic is at play in this week’s Gospel reading (copied in the postscript).
This is in no way to belittle the struggles that face so many people. Just the opposite. The message of Advent – the message of waiting on Christ – is that however difficult or painful the waiting may be, it’s well worth it.
Back to George Bailey – he was thinking too small. $8,000 (even back then) was nothing in the grand scheme of things. God had much bigger plans for him. And God has much bigger plans for each of us this Christmas, though probably different than our expectations.
So as we prepare our minds and hearts for this third Sunday of Advent, we’ll be digging deeper into this theme in our follow-up messages.
Blessings on your journey with Christ –
Steve and Karen Smith
Interior Life
Postscript: Matthew 11:2-11
When John the Baptist heard in prison of the works of the Christ, he sent his disciples to Jesus with this question, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?”
Jesus said to them in reply, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them. And blessed is the one who takes no offense at me.”
As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written:
Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.
Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.”